Amidst all the violence and plunder, a small organisation in Multan organized a Peace rally on this Universal Peace Day. The rally was organized by Sojhla for Social Change. The word Sojhla stands for 'light' in Saraiki. Despite the government of Pakistan  declaring today as “Youm-e-Ishq-e-Rasool” and bringing to stand still all cellular communication, activists of Sojhla making their way amidst the flames of burning tyres to a place which is the centre of the city and the focus point of all the protestors, Multan Press Club was an unusual sight.

They chanted slogans for peace holding the placards with the same message in the poetry of Khwaja Ghulam Farid. They stood for something different and stated that they believe that the anti-islam video was an attempt to provoke Muslims by some idiot and that the Prophet (PBUH) cannot be discredited by any one.

The rally started from Multan Press Club and ended at Chowk Nawan Shehar with almost fifty participants including men and women from the Christian, Muslim and Hindu communities. It wasn't a long walk but a courageous one while sniffing the smell of burning tyres and polythene bags by the angry mobs. Here are a few photos from the rally. – Text and Photos by Zahoor Joya.